Belt buckle



BELTBUGKLE Filed Nov. 8. 1926 l I I l l JIIIII/IIIIIIWIIIIIIII/IIIII/ i Patented sept. 16, 193e 1,775,722

vUNITED STATES N1 .A.1"15:1\1r.eorflncls oAn-nfrronrxjor CHICAGO, ILLINoIsi" Y i e e i .B'LTsUoKLn Application fueanovember s, 1926. serial No, 146,916.

This invention relatesto a buckle or holdf tube 12, the outer'edge fof thetube being ini ing device for securing together theopposite registrationwith the outer` edge of the plate i ends of a beltyand hasfor one of its objects 10, while the front sideof `the 4tube is spaced the provision of a belt holding device which backwardly from the rear face of the'plate 5 shall be neat and attractive in l.appearance.- `to provide clearance between the plate andJ 55 convenient to' manipulate, reliable in operatube of'suiicient width to, admit the entrance tion and which will permit yielding eXpanLV of the belt between the buckle plate andi the sion of the belt. `I i e' A l front sides ofthe tubes, asshowninFig. 3. Further objects will.y appear from the fol- The tubes 12 are preferably flattenedso that lowingdescription.`V i l a i they have their greatest dimensionfin` the GQ e The arrangement is exemplified in the comdirection parallel with. the plate 10. An "5 bination and arrangement of lparts shown inner tube 13 is disposed within each of the ,i in theaccompanying drawing and described tubes 12 and has atelescoping movement in the following specification, and it is more within the outer tube. e The outer ends of the l5 particularly pointed` out in the appended `tribes13 are shaped to form eyes 14 through 65 Claims, A i i whichapin 15 extends. Afloop 16 is provided In the drawing Y with a sleeve 17 whichsurrounds` the porf Fig. 1 isa front elevation of a beltbuckle tion of thepin 15 between theeyes 14. One embodying one `Vform of the presentv invenend of a-belt`18 is attached toftheloop 16,the 20 tion; I e belt preferably being detachably connected 7 0 Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fignl; Y to the loop 16 by meansof snap fasteners 19. e Fig. `3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig.' 1 Theusualleather loop 2O may be i provided on an enlarged scale; for receiving the free'end 21 of thebelt 18.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the buckle shown in The inner tubes 13 are resiliently held in re- Figs. 1j Q, and 3; and V i tracted position within the outer tubes 12f'by 75. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. y means of coil springs 22. While Ihav'e shown f3 To many personsthe wearing of a belt is two circularcoilsprings in each tube, it will more or less of a discomfort for the reason V be apparent that any number or shape of that the belt must be fairly tight to be efspring desired may be employed. One end fectiverin supporting the trousers of the of each spring is attached tothe portionL of 59 wearer and since ,a leatherstrap'is practithe rocl.15 `which extends through the eye "1"* cally-unyielding the ordinary belt'does notl 14 of the tube 1'3. The other end of each provide for the eXpansion" and contraction of spring is attachedto a sleeve23 which surthe waist-line which otherwise'occurs in the lrounds a pinv 24 extending through the outer ,V3.5 activities of the wearer and which vare essenl tube 12 near the end thereon TheV sleeve 23 tial lto comfort and desirable for health. is'elnployed to assist in assembling the parts. The present. invention provides means fo'r The springs areirsll placed inthe inner permitting considerable expansion` and con- "tubes 13 and the rod 15 threaded through the vtraction of the body while maintaining the 4loops at the ends ofthe springs. The lfree .4P belt suficiently tight atfall times to propends of the springs are then attached to the 0 `erly operate. Y The necessary elasticity is prosleeves 23 prior to insertion of the Ytubes 13 vided in the buckle itself so that there: is no into the tubes 12. A wire or cord is then senecessityfor a special strapor belt member cured to thev sleeve 23 and passed through andthe appearance of the buckle is the same anopening 25 in the portion 26 of theV plate as the ordinary buckle;` l 1 0 which closes the end ofthe tube'12. `By Referring tothe drawing, the numeral10 drawing onthe` cord the sleeve 23 is pulled designates a buckle plate which is bent backinto position to register with the openings wardly at its top and bottom edges to provide for ,receiving the pin 24. The sleeveholds the flanges 115 shown best in'Fig. 3. Th'efrear loops inthe ends of the springs in registra- 7570 edge of each flange 11 isrolled to provide a tion for the insertion of the pin 24:.

' of the belt.

Ears 27 are struck from the sides of the tubes 12 and bent backwardly to receive a pivot pin 28 upon which a buckle tongue or plate 29 is pivotally supported. The plate 29 is looped about the pivot 28 and is provided with a lever portion 30 which extends radially from the pivot 2S at an angle less than a. right angle. The tongue 29 has a radial length slightly greater than the dis` tance between the pin 2S and the rear face of the belt 18 when the belt is in position between the plate 10 and the tubes l2. This will prevent the tongue from swinging past the dead-center formed by the pivot pin 28 under the tension of the belt 18. The tongue 29 will .always be inclined at the side of the pin 28 toward the loose end of the belt so that tension on the belt tends to tighten the grip of the tongue against the 'rear face The lever 30 will ordinarily be spaced slightly inthe rear of the rear face of the belt but will strike the rear face of the belt before the tongue passes its deadcenter position and will then form a supplemental holder to augment the action of the tongue 29. It will be apparent that eXpansion of the belt will be permitted by the resiliency ofthe springs 22 which permit the tubes 13 to be drawn outwardly to accommodate the belt to expansion of the waist-line of the wearer. The springs 22 will always maintain a tension on the belt sufficient to take up any contraction in the waist-line and maintain al snug fit of the belt.`

The only parts of the buckle which are visible when the belt is in place is the front face of the buckle plate l0. The expansion parts are entirely concealed by the loose end of the belt so that the buckle has exactly the same appearance as the ordinary belt buckle. The tongue 29 will grasp the belt at any point of adjustment and securely hold it against any force tending to withdraw the belt from the buckle. The greater the force exerted, the tighter will be the grip of the tongue on the belt. To release the belt it is only necessary to move the loose end through the buckle plate a slight distance in the direction of inclination of the tongue 29. This will release the tongue from engagement with the rear face of the belt and permit the belt to slide freely from the buckle. The buckle may be applied to the ordinary form of belt which is detachably secured to the buckle so that if the belt becomes worn it may be discarded and the buckle.

one end of a belt to said springs to provide a yielding connection of said end with said buckle plate, and pivoted gripping means on said plate for adjustably securing the other end of said belt to said buckle plate.

2. A belt buckle comprising a buckle plate having flanges. extending rearwardly from opposite edges thereof and spaced apart to receive a belt therebetween, housing members fixedly supported by said flanges and eX- tending inwardly toward each other in spaced relation to the rear face of said buckle plate, resilient means disposed in said housing members for attachment to one end of a belt, and means secured to said buckle plate for clamping the other end of said belt against the rear face thereof.v

3. A belt buckle comprising a plate havingV opposite edges thereof bent to forni tubular housings, springs disposed in said housings, means for attaching one end of a belt'to said springs, ears struck from said plate to provide pivot supports, a pivot rod connecting said ears, a tongue pivotally mounted on said rod and bridging the space between said housings to grip the other end of said belt disposed at the rear of said plate, and an arm secured to said tongue to limit the movement thereof.

4. A belt buckle comprising a plate, housings fixed to said plate and rearwardly spaced therefrom adjacent opposite edges thereof to provide passageways for opposite edges of a belt between said housings and plate, a fastener for holding one end of said belt against movement in said passageways, springs disposed in said housings, and means other than said holding means for attaching the other end of said belt to said springs.

5. A belt buckle comprising a plate, springs supported on said plate and rearwardly spaced therefrom adjacent opposite edges thereof to provide clearance for the edges of a belt between said` plate and springs, the springs at opposite edges of said plate being spaced from each other, means for connecting said springs to one end of said belt, and a fastening device for the other end of said belt disposed betwen said springs, said springs and fastening device being mounted on said plate independently of each other.

6. A belt buckle comprising a plate, housings fixedly mounted on said plate adjacent opposite edges thereof and spaced rearwardly therefrom to provide clearance for opposite edges of a belt between said plate and housings, springs disposed in said housings, means for attaching one end of a belt to said springs, and a fastening device for holding the other end of said belt from movement in one direction through said clearance space.

7. A belt buckle comprising a plate, `housings iixedly mounted on said plate adjacent opposite edges thereof and spaced rearwardly therefrom to provide clearance for opposite edges of a belt between said plate and housings, springs disposed in said housings, means for attaching one end of a belt to said springs, a fastening device pivotally mounted on said housings and having a tongue projecting toward said plate between said housings for engaging the other end of said belt when disposed in the space between saidplate and housings, n said tongue being of suflicient Vlength to engage said belt when said tongue is disposed obliquely to the surface of said belt, and an operating lever connected with said tongue and arranged to engage said belt to prevent said tongue from moving past a position normal to the surface of said belt.

8. A -belt buckle comprising a plate having rearwardly extending opposite sides terminating in spring retainers which extend inwardly toward each other and in spaced relation to the rear face of said plate to form an unobstructed passage throughout the length of the buckle to permit the insertion of a belt through Vthe buckle between said spring. re-

tainers and the rear face of said plate from one end thereof to the other, and means for connecting the opposite ends of said belt Vto said buckle. n y

9. A belt buckle comprising a plate having rearwardly extending opposite sides terminating in spring housings which Vextend inwardly7 toward each other and in spaced relation to the rear face of said plate to permit the insertion of a belt through the buckle between said housings and the rear face of said plate, a belt gripping device pivoted on said plate between said housings for gripping one end of said belt, and means for attaching the other end of said beltto said Y buckle.

10. A belt buckle comprising aV plate having rearwardly extending opposite sides terminating in spring housings extending inwardly toward each other and in spaced relation to the rear face of the plate to permit the insertion of a belt through the buckle' between said housings and the rear face of the plate, a pivoted rod carried by said plate and bridging the space between said housings, a tongue pivotally mounted on said rod to grip one end of said belt inserted between the housings and the rear face of the plate, an arm secured to said tongue to limit the pivotal movement thereof, and means for attaching the other end of said belt to said buckle.

` Y 11. A belt buckle comprising a plate having rearwardly extending opposite sides terminating in spring retainers which extend inwardly toward eachother and in spaced relation to the rear face of vsaid plate to provide a space for the insertion of a belt through the buckle having a width substantially equal to the width of the buckle, and springs substantially enclosed within said retainers to be yieldingly connected to one end of said belt wardly toward each other and in spaced relation to the rear face of said late to provide a space for the insertion of a belt through the buckle having `a width substantially equal to the width of the buckle, springssubstantially enclosedy within said retainers adapted to be yieldingly connected to one end of Vsaid belt and a belt gripping device on said plate pivoted between said retainers for gripping the other end of said belt. v

13. In a belt to be worn about the waist, the combination of a buckle therefor comprising a plate having a width of substantially that of the belt and having rearwardly extending opposite sides terminating in spring housings which extend inwardly toward each other and in spaced relation to the rear face y 9 inglyV connected to one end of said belt, and

a belt grippingdevice on said plate between said housings for gripping the other end of said belt. A

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 6th day of November, A. D. 1926. Y

CARL HORIX.

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